Math Level 2 Subject Test Guide and Formulas

Scientific Notation
-

Logarithms
-
-logb a =

Natural Logarithms
Symbol is not log, it is ln. e is about 2.718. The following equations are equivalent

Exponential Growth and Decay

Growth:

Decay:

Binomial Theorem
 1. There are n + 1 terms in the expansion. For example, when the exponent, n, is 4, there are 5
terms.
2. The power to which a is raised decreases by one each term, beginning with n and ending with
0. For example, if n = 4, then a in the second term is raised to the third power.
3. Subsequently, the exponent of b increases by one each term, beginning with 0 and ending
with n. If n = 4, then b in the second term is raised to the first power.
4. The sum of the exponents for each term of the expansion is n.
5. The coefficient of the nth term is equal to nCx, or the number of ways to combine n items in

groups of size x, also represented as where x is the power to which either variable is

raised in the nth term.

Pascal’s Triangle

Each row of the triangle starts with the number one, and every interior number is the sum of the two
numbers above it.

Parallel Lines and Transversals

Alternate exterior angles are pairs of congruent

angles on opposite sides of the transversal, outside of
the space between the parallel lines

Alternate interior angles are pairs of congruent

angles on opposite sides of the transversal in the
region between the parallel lines.

Corresponding angles are congruent angles

Triangles
-Measure of exterior angle = sum of remote interior angles

-Triangle Inequality Rule: the length of a side of a triangle is

less than the sum of the lengths of the other two sides and
greater than the difference of the lengths of the other two sides

-Proportionality: longest side is opposite the largest angle and the shortest side is opposite the
smallest angle

Special Right Triangles

 Polygons
-The sum of the interior angles of a polygon with n sides is (n – 2)180º
-The sum of the exterior angles of any polygon is 360º

Circles
Circle: collection of all points equidistant from a given point (center)

Tangent Line
Every point in space outside the circle can
extend exactly two tangent lines to the circle.
The distance from the origin of the two
tangents to the points of tangency are always
equal. In the following figure, XY = XZ

Central Angles and Inscribed Angles

An angle whose vertex is the center
of the circle is called a central angle.
The degree of the circle (the slice of
pie) cut by a central angle is equal to
the measure of the angle. If a central
angle is 25º, then it cuts a 25º arc in
the circle.
An inscribed angle is an angle If an inscribed angle and a central
formed by two chords in a circle that angle cut out the same arc in a circle,
originate from a single point. An the central angle will be twice as
inscribed angle will always cut out large as the inscribed angle.
an arc in the circle that is twice the
size of the degree of the inscribed
angle. If an inscribed angle has a
degree of 40º, it will cut an arc of
80º in the circle.

Circumference: C = 2
Arc Length
Major Arc: the longer arc
Minor Arc: the shorter arc
n is the arc in degrees
Area of a Sector

Prisms
Volume of Prisms=area of B * height (V= Bh)

Diagonal Length of a Rectangular Solid

Diagonal Length of a Cube Cylinder Cone

Pyramid

Where C is the circumference

Sphere

Comparing Dimensions
The surface area of a sphere is the same as the volume of a cylinder. What is the ratio of the
radius of the sphere to the radius of the cylinder?
A sphere’s surface area is 4π(rs)2, where rs is the radius of the sphere.
A cylinder’s volume is π(rc)2 h, where rc is the radius of the cylinder and h is its height.
Therefore:
Changing Measurements
If a solid’s length is multiplied by a given factor, then its surface area is multiplied by the square of
that factor, and its volume is multiplied by the cube of that factor

Rules of Inscribed Solids

Cylinder Inscribed in a Sphere
The diameter of the sphere is equal to the diagonal of the cylinder’s height and diameter.

Sphere Inscribed in a Cube

The diameter of the sphere is equal to the length of cube’s edge.

Sphere Inscribed in a Cylinder

The cylinder and the sphere have the same radius.
Solids Produced by Rotating Polygons
Common Rotations

A rectangle rotated about its A semicircle rotated about its A right triangle rotated about one of
edge produces a cylinder. diameter produces a sphere. its legs produces a cone.

A rectangle rotated about a
central axis (which must contain
the midpoint of both of the
sides that it intersects) produces
a cylinder.
A circle rotated about its An isosceles triangle rotated about
diameter produces a sphere. its axis of symmetry (the altitude
from the vertex of the non -
congruent angle) produces a cone.

Distance
To calculate the distance between (4, –3) and (–3, 8), plug the coordinates into the
formula:
Finding the Midpoint
If the endpoints of a line segment are (x1, y1) and (x2, y2), then the midpoint of the line segment is:

Special Slopes & Slope Formula

Special Slopes
-A line that is horizontal has a slope of zero
-A line that is vertical has an undefined slope
-A line that makes a 45 degree angle has a slope of 1 or -1

Parallel and Perpendicular Lines

-Parallel lines have equal slopes
-Perpendicular lines intersect to form a right angle
-Perpendicular slopes are reciprocols of eachother (when you multiply them, it equals -1)

Equation of A line
Slope- Intercept form: y = mx + b
Point-Slope Form: where m is the slope of the line and (x1, y1) is a point on the
line.

Linear Inequalities

≥ or ≤ are solid lines; < or > are

dotted lines

To determine which side to shade

in, plug in a point into the
inequality and see if the inequality
is true
 GRAPHS
Parabolas
General Form:
Standard form:
–
1. The vertex of the parabola is ( ,c- ).
1. The vertex of the parabola is
(h, k). 2. The axis of symmetry of the parabola is the
2. The axis of symmetry of the line x = –b/ 2a.
parabola is the line x = h. 3. The parabola opens upward if a > 0 and
3. The parabola opens upward if downward if a < 0.
a > 0 and downward if a < 0. 4. The y-intercept is the point (0, c).

Circles
Standard Form: where (h, k) is the center of the circle and r is the radius

Ellipses

The two foci are crucial to the

definition of an ellipse. The sum
of the distances from both foci
to any point on the ellipse is
constant. For every point on the
ellipse, the cumulative distance
from the two foci to that point
will be constant. In the image
below, for example, d1 + d2 is
equal to d3 + d4.

Standard Form:

1. The center of the ellipse is (h, k).

2. The length of the horizontal axis is 2a.
3. The length of the vertical axis is 2b.
4. If a > b, the major axis is horizontal and the minor axis is vertical; if b > a, the major axis is
vertical and the minor axis is horizontal.

EXAMPLE
What are the coordinates of the center and vertices of an ellipse given by the following equation?

First, find the center of the ellipse. By comparing this equation to the standard form, you see that (h, k) =
(2, –5). Since the vertices are the endpoints of the major axis, your next step should be to find the
orientation and length of that axis. In this ellipse, b > a, so the major axis is vertical and is 2b = 2 = 12
units long. The coordinates of the vertices are therefore (2, –5 ± 6), which works out to (2, –11) and (2, 1).
Hyperbolas
The standard form of the equation of a hyperbola that opens to the
sides is:

The standard form of the equation of a hyperbola that opens upward

and downward is

The center of a hyperbola is (h, k), and the axis of symmetry is the line
x = h for vertical hyperbolas or y = k for horizontal hyperbolas

Vectors

In the preceding figure, vector u, which can also be

written , has initial point (–2, –2), and terminal point (6,
4). When you see a vector equated to a coordinate pair, say u
= (8, 6), like in the figure above, the first coordinate is called
the x-component of the vector and the second coordinate is
the y-component.The length of a vector, also known as its
magnitude, equals the square root of the sum of the squares of
its components.

Adding and Subtracting Vectors

Subtracting vectors is the same
To add or subtract vectors, just
process, except that you reverse the
add or subtract their
direction of the subtracted vector: a
respective components. For
– b = a + (–b) = (2 – (–5), 7 – 2) =
example, if a = (2, 7) and b =
(7, 5).
(–5, 2), a + b = (2 + –5, 7 + 2)
= (–3, 9). In order to graph
this, you first place the second
vector so that its tail starts at
the tip of the first vector. Then
close the triangle by drawing a
vector from the tail of the first
vector to the tip of the second
vector. It looks like this:
Multiplying by a Scalar
Occasionally, the Math IIC will ask you to multiply a vector by a scalar, which is a number that has
magnitude but no direction. To answer this type of question, just multiply each component of the
vector by the scalar. If u = (3, 4), cu = (3c, 4c).
Try an example problem:

If u = (1, –5) and v = (4, 2), what is 3u – 2v?

It’s easy—just multiply and then subtract: 3u – 2v = 3(1, –5) – 2(4, 2) = (3, –15) – (8, 4) = (–5, –19).

Coordinate Space
The z-axis is perpendicular to both the x- and y-axes. A point
in three dimensions is specified by three coordinates: (x, y,
z).
The only questions you’re likely to see that involve three-
dimensional coordinate geometry will ask you to calculate
the distance between two points in space. There is a general
formula that allows you to make such a calculation. If the two
points are (x1, y1, 1) and (x2, y2, z2), then the distance between
them is:

Polar Coordinates
To find the normal rectangular
coordinates of the point (r, ), use
the following two formulas:

To find the polar coordinates of the

point (x, y), use these formulas:
Parametric Equations
Parametric equations are a useful way to express two variables in terms of a third variable. The third
variable is called the parameter. Here is an example:

Below is a graph of the parametric equations x = 3t – 2; y = –t + 4 for the range of values 0 ≤ t ≤ 3.

Eliminating the Parameter

Consider the parametric equations x = 2t; y = t + 1. In the first equation, we can solve for t: t = 1/2 x.
Now we can substitute this value into the second equation to get y = 1/2 x + 1. But be careful to keep
the range of the original equations in mind when you eliminate the parameter in parametric
equations. For example, by eliminating the parameter in the parametric equations x = 2t2; y = 4t2 +
3, you arrive at the equation y = 2x + 3. The range of this function, however, does not include x
values below 0 or y values below 3 because the ranges of the original parametric equations do not
include these values. So, the graph of these parametric equations actually looks like the graph of y =
2x + 3 cut off below the point (0, 3):
TRIGONOMETRY
Sine, Cosine, and Tangent

 SOH: Sine is the side Opposite the angle divided by the Hypotenuse.
 CAH: Cosine is the side Adjacent to the angle divided by the Hypotenuse.
 TOA: Tangent is the side Opposite divided by the Adjacent side.

Angles larger than 90 degrees

They are defined in terms of their own quadrant; like this:

Values of Angles relative to their Trigonometric Function

Cosecant, Secant, and Tangent
Cosecant
Cosecant is the reciprocal of sine. Its formula is:

Secant
Secant is the reciprocal of cosine. Its formula is:

Cotangent
Cotangent is the reciprocal of tangent. Its formula is:

The Math IIC will rarely ask you to find the values of these three functions. Most likely, it will ask you
to manipulate them in algebraic equations, often with the goal of simplifying the expression down to
its simplest form. For example: What is , if = ?

Plug tan 45º into your calculator, and you get the nice, clean number 1 as an answer.

Solving Right Triangles

Given: One angle and One Side Given: Two sides

Note: you can

use inverse
cosine to find
angle B.
Trigonometric Identities

What is ?

1 + tan2x = sec2x

Sum and Difference Formulas

Double Angle Formulas

Half Angle Formulas

Graphing Trigonometric Functions
The Unit Circle
The unit circle is a circle whose center is the origin and whose radius is 1. It is defined by the
equation x2 + y2 = 1.

The most useful and interesting

property of the unit circle is that the
coordinates of a given point on the
circle can be found using only the
knowledge of the measure of the
angle.

Determining the coordinates of Point P

What are the

coordinates of the
point P pictured
below?

Point P is the endpoint of a radius of

the unit circle that forms a 30º angle
with the negative x-axis. This means
that an angle of 210º in standard
position would terminate in the
same position. So, the coordinates of
the point are (cos 210º, sin 210º) =
(– /2, –1/2). Both coordinates must
be negative, since the point is in the
third quadrant.
Range
The unit circle also provides a lot of information about the range of trigonometric functions and
the values of the functions at certain angles.
For example, because the unit circle has a radius of one and has points all of the form (cos , sin
), we know that:

Tangent ranges from –∞ to ∞, but is undefined at every angle whose cosine is 0. Can you guess
why? Look at the formula of tan = sin / cos . If cos = 0, then division by 0 occurs, and the
quotient, tan , is undefined.

Radians and Degrees

A degree is equal to 1 /360 of a circle, while a radian is equal to the angle that intercepts an arc of the
same length as the radius of the circle. In the figure below, arc AB has length r, and the central angle
measures one radian.

Converting between Radians and Degrees:

Graphing in the Entire Coordinate Plane

x-axis: radians
y-axis: value of a given trigonometric function at that angle
(a) is the graph of y = sin x; (b) is y = cos x; and (c) is y = tan x
Domain
-The domain of a function is simply the x values for which the function can be calculated
-The domain of a trigonometric function can be seen in its graph: it is the set of all x values for which
the function is defined.
-For sine and cosine, the domain is the set of real numbers, because any angle measure has a sine
and a cosine; there are no values of x for which sine or cosine doesn’t produce a y value.
-The graph of the tangent function, however, tells a different story. It shows certain x values, for
which the tangent is undefined.
-These undefined points occur when the cosine is zero, since tan x = sin x/cos x, and division by zero is
undefined.
-The x-values for which tangent is undefined show up on its graph as vertical dotted lines every 180º,
such that x = n(180º) + 90º, where n is an integer. For example, the tangent function is undefined at
the x value 2(180º) + 90º = 450º.

Range
-The range of a function is the set of all possible values of the function. In other words, the range is
the set of all y values of the function
-Range of sin and cos is -1≤y≤1. The range of tangent is the set of real numbers. To see why there are
no bounds on the value of tangent, recall that the denominator (cos ) can get arbitrarily close to
zero, making the quotient get infinitely large

Periodic Functions
Sine, cosine, and tangent are all periodic functions, meaning that their values repeat on a regular
interval. This regular interval is called the function’s period. Speaking more technically, the period of
a function is the smallest domain containing a full cycle of the function.

 For y = sin x and y = cos x, the period is 2π radians. This means that every 360º, the values
of sine and cosine repeat themselves. For example, trigonometric functions of 0 and 2π
radians produce the same values.
 For y = tan x, the period is π radians. Thus, the tangents of 0º and 180º are equal.

If a trigonometric function contains a coefficient in front of x, its period changes. In general, the
period of y = f(bx) is the normal period of f divided by b. For example, the period of y = sin 1/4 x = 2
radians 1 /4 = 8π radians.
 The amplitude of the sine and cosine functions is
half the vertical distance between its minimum
Amplitude
value and its maximum value. The amplitude of y
-only in sine and cosine = sin x and y = cos x is 1 because the minimum
and maximum values of these functions are –1
and 1, respectively, and half the vertical distance
between these values is 1. The tangent graph has
no amplitude, because the tangent function has
no minimum or maximum value. In general, the
amplitude of the trigonometric function y = af(x)
is |a|. The amplitude of 1 /3 cos x is 1/3.

Inverse Trigonometric Functions

The three inverse trigonometric functions you should be familiar with are sin–1, cos–1, and tan–1,
which are also called arcsine, arccosine, and arctangent
Example

What angle between – and has a tangent of –1?

You should first notice that the angles are given in radians. You must either convert these angle
measures to degrees or switch to radian mode on your calculator. Next, use the tan–1 key on your
calculator to measure the angle that results in a tangent value of –1. If you’ve done all this correctly,
your calculator will tell you that arctan –1 = –π /4 radians = –45º. This negative angle is equal to –7π
/4 radians or 315º.

Solving Non-Right Triangles

A non-right, or oblique, triangle has no right angles. In an oblique triangle, there are six unknowns:
the three angle measures and the three side lengths. To solve an oblique triangle you need one of the
following sets of information:

1. Two sides and an angle opposite one of the known sides

2. Two angles and any side
3. Two sides and their included angle
4. All three sides

If you know either (1) or (2), you can use the law of sines to solve the triangle. If you know (3) or (4),
you must tag-team with the law of cosines and then the law of sines to find the solution.

The Law of Sines

The law of sines is based on the proportionality of sides and angles in triangles. The law states that
for the angles of a non-right triangle, each angle of the triangle has the same ratio of angle measure
to sine value.
The Law of Cosines
The law of cosines offers a different way of solving non-right triangles and can be used when you
don’t have the information necessary to use the law of sines.

The law of cosines allows you to solve any triangle for which you know any three of the four
unknowns in the formula. There are two ways you might know three of the four unknowns:

1. If you know two sides and their included angle, use the law of cosines to find the length of the
third side. Then use the law of sines to complete the triangle.
2. If you know the lengths of all three sides, use the law of cosines to find the measure of one
angle. Then use the law of sines to complete the triangle.

EXAMPLE
Solve triangle ABC if a = 4, b = 7, and c = 10.
First, find .

At this point, you can use the law of sines to find that A ≈ 18.20º and B ≈ 33.12º.
FUNCTIONS
Evaluating a function simply means finding f(x) at some specific value x. The Math IIC will likely ask
you to evaluate a function at some particular constant. Take a look at the following example:

If f(x) = x 2 – 3, what is f(5)?

Evaluating a function at a constant involves nothing more than substituting the constant into the
definition of the function. In this case, substitute 5 for x:

It’s as simple as that.

The Math IIC may also ask questions in which you are asked to evaluate a function at a variable
rather than a constant. For example:

If f(x) = , what is f(x + 1)?

To solve problems of this sort, follow the same method you did for evaluating a function at a
constant: substitute the variable into the equation. To solve the sample question, substitute (x + 1)
for x in the definition of the function:

Operations on Functions
Rule Example
Addition If f(x) = sin x, and g(x) = cos x:
(f + g)(x) = sin x + cos x

Subtraction If f(x) = x 2 + 5 and g(x) = x 2 + 2x + 1:

(f – g)(x) = x 2 + 5 – x 2 – 2x – 1 = –2x + 4
Multiplication If f(x) = x and g(x) = x 3 + 8:
(f g)(x) = x (x 3 + 8) = x 4 + 8x
Division If f(x) = 2 cos x, and g(x) = 2 sin 2 x:

As usual, when dividing, you have to be aware of possible situations where you inadvertently divide
by zero. Since division by zero is not allowed, you should just remember that any time you are
dividing functions, like f(x) /g(x), the resulting function is undefined wherever the function in the
denominator equals zero.
Compound Functions
A compound function is a function that operates on another function. A compound function is
written as nested functions, in the form f(g(x)). To evaluate a compound function, first evaluate the
internal function, g(x). Next, evaluate the outer function at the result of g(x). Work with the inner
parentheses first and then the outer ones, just like in any other algebraic expression.

Suppose h(x) = x 2 + 2x and j(x) = | + 2|. What is j(h(4))?

To evaluate this compound function, first evaluate h(4):

Now plug 24 into the definition of j:

It is important that you pay attention to the order in which you evaluate the compound function.
Always evaluate the inner function first.
Here’s an example that seems to be more difficult:
In my opinion, this type of problem
Suppose f(x) = 3x + 1 and g(x) = . What is g(f(x))? is actually easier than the previous
merely because that it is just
plugging in and simplifying. With
practice, you should get the hang
of it.

Inverse Functions
The inverse of a function ―undoes‖ that function. An example is the best way to help you understand
what this means: the inverse of x2 is . Let’s see how ―undoes‖ x2:

If you are ever asked to come up with the inverse of a particular function, there is an easy method
that always works:

1. Replace the variable f(x) with y.

2. Switch the places of x and y.
3. Solve for y.
4. Replace y with f–1(x).
Here’s an example of the method in action:

What is the inverse of the function f( x) = ?

First, replace f(x) with y. Then switch the places of x and y and solve for y.

Finding Whether the Inverse of a Function is a Function

Take a look at this question:

Is the inverse of f(x) = x 2 a function?

To answer a question like this, you must, of course, first find the inverse. In this case, begin by
writing y = x2. Next, switch the places of x and y: x = y2. Solve for y: y = . Now you need to analyze
the inverse of the function and decide whether for every x, there is only one y. If only one y is
associated with each x, you’ve got a function. Otherwise, you don’t. For functions, the square root of
a quantity equals the positive root only; in fact, all even-numbered roots in functions have only
positive values. In this case, every x value that falls within the domain turns out one value for y,
so f–1(x) is a function.
Here’s another sample question:

What is the inverse of f(x) = 2|x – 1|, and is it a function?

Again, replace x with y and solve for y:

Now, since you’re dealing with an absolute value, split the equations:

Therefore,

The inverse of f(x) is this set of two equations. As you can see, for every value of x, except 0, the
inverse of the function assigns two values of y. Consequently, f–1(x) is not a function.
Domain and Range
Domain
-The domain of a function is the set of inputs to the function that produce valid outputs
Finding the Domain of a Function
1. Assume the domain is the set of real numbers
2. Look for restrictions on the domain
a. Restrictions
i. Division by zero. Division by zero is mathematically impossible. A function is
therefore undefined for all the values of x for which division by zero occurs.
For example, f(x) = 1/x – 2 is undefined at x = 2, since when x = 2, the function
is equal to f(x) = 1/0.
ii. Even roots. An even root (a square root, fourth root, etc.) of a negative
number does not exist. A function is undefined for all values of x that causes a
negative number to be the radicand of an even root.

By now, you must be itching for a sample problem:

What is the domain of f(x) = x / ( x + 5 x + 6) ?

In this question, f(x) has variables in its denominator, which should be a big red flag that alerts you
to the possibility of a division by zero. We may need to restrict the functions domain to ensure that
division by zero does not occur. To find out for what values of x the denominator equals zero, set up
an equation and factor the quadratic: x2 + 5x + 6 = (x + 2)(x + 3) = 0. For x = {–2, –3}, the
denominator is zero and f(x) is undefined. Since it is defined for all other real numbers, the domain
of f(x) is the set of all real numbers x such that x ≠ –2, –3. This can also be written as {x: x ≠ –2, –3}.

Here’s another example:

What is the domain of f(x) = ?

This function has both warning signs: an even root and a variable in the denominator. It’s best to
examine each situation separately:

1. The denominator would equal zero if x = 7.

2. The quantity under the square root (the radicand), x – 4, must be greater than or equal to
zero in order for the function to be defined. Therefore, x ≥ 4.

The domain of the function is therefore the set of real numbers x such that x ≥ 4, x ≠ 7.
The Domain of a Function with 2 Variables
So far we have only looked at functions that take a single variable as input. Some functions on the
Math IIC test take two variables, for example:

A two-variable function is really no different from the basic single-variable variety you’ve already
seen. Essentially, the domain of this function is a set of ordered pairs of real numbers (s, t), rather
than a set of single real numbers.
Evaluating such a function follows the same process as the evaluation of a single-variable function.
Just substitute for the variables in the equation and do the algebra. Try to find f(8, 14), using the
definition of f(s, t) above.

Piecewise Functions
Not all functions must have the same definition across their entire domain. Some functions have
different definitions for different intervals of their domain; this type of function is called a piecewise
function. Here is a typical example:

To evaluate a piecewise function, you need to find the correct interval for the given definition and
evaluate as usual. For example, what is g(6), using the above piecewise definition of g(x)?

RANGE

A function’s range is the set of all values of f(x) that can be generated by the function. In general, the
range for most functions whose domain is unrestricted is the set of all real numbers. To help
visualize the concept of range, consider two trigonometric functions, sin x and tan x.
What values of the y-axis are reached on each graph? On the graph of tan x, you can see that every
possible value of y, from negative infinity to positive infinity, is included in the range. The range
could be written as {y: –∞ ≤ y ≤ ∞}. Contrast this with the graph of sin x, where the range is actually
quite limited. You’ll notice that only the values between –1 and 1 are part of the range. We’ll write the
range using another common notation: {–1 ≤ f(x) ≤ 1}.
Of course, there are other ways that a function’s range might be limited. For example, if a function
has a limited domain (only certain x values are allowed), its range might be limited as well. In
addition, there are two main causes for a function’s range to be restricted:

ABSOLUTE VALUE.
Remember that by definition, the absolute value of a quantity is always positive. So, in a simple case,
f(x) = |x|, you know that f(x) must always be positive, and so the range excludes all negative
numbers. Be careful, though, not to assume that any function with an absolute value symbol has the
same range. For example, the range of g(x) = –|x| is {y: –∞ ≤ y ≤ 0} and the range of h(x) = 10 + |x|
is {10 ≤ h(x) ≤ ∞}.

EVEN EXPONENTS.
Any time you square a number (or raise it to any multiple of 2), the resulting quantity will be
positive. As in the case of the absolute value, though, don’t assume that the range will always be {y: 0
≤ y ≤ ∞}.
Determining the range of a complex function is very similar to finding the domain. First look for
absolute values, even exponents, or other reasons that the range would be restricted. Then you
simply adjust that range step by step as you go along. The best way to get the hang of it is to practice.

What is the range of ?

The absolute value around |x – 3| tells us that the range for that term excludes negative numbers (y:
0 ≤ y ≤ ∞). |x – 3| is then divided by 2, so we must also divide the range by 2: (y: 0/2 ≤ y ≤ ∞/2).
Obviously, this doesn’t change the range, since both zero and infinity remain the same when divided
in half.
Now for a more complicated example:

What is the range of ?

Let’s tackle this example step by step.

1. The absolute value restricts the range to {0 ≤ f(x) ≤ ∞}.

2. Add 4 to each bound of the range. This action only affects the lower bound: {4 ≤ f(x) ≤ ∞}.
3. Taking the square root again only affects the lower bound: {2 ≤ f(x) ≤ ∞}.
4. Finally, divide the bounds of the range by 2 to determine the range of the entire function: {1
≤ f(x) ≤ ∞}.

Note that addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and other mathematical operations cannot
affect infinity. That’s why it is particularly important that you look for absolute values and even
roots. Once you can find a bound on a range, then you know the operations on the function will affect
that range.
Before we move on, here is one last example that uses slightly different range notation you might
come across on the Math IIC:

What is the range of f(x) = + 2?

Once again, take a step-by-step approach to finding the range:

1. The range of x2 is {0, ∞}.

2. The range of –3/ 2 x2 is {–∞, 0}.
3. The range of –3/ 2 x2 + 2 is therefore {–∞, 2} or, simply, f(x) ≤ 2.

The Range of a Function with a Prescribed Domain

Occasionally the Math IIC will present you with a question in which the domain of a function is
restricted to a given interval and you are asked to find the range of the newly restricted function. For
example:
f(x) = 2x 2 + 4 for –3 < x < 5. What is the range of f?
The best way to solve this type of problem is to manipulate the domain of x in exactly the same way
that x is manipulated in the function. First x is squared, then multiplied by 2, then added to 4; we
need to do the same thing to the bounds of the domain:

1. –3 < x < 5 There was actually an error on

2. 9 < x2 < 25 Sparknotes here, so good thing I
3. 18 < 2x2 < 50 was here right? :D Instead of 9,18,
4. 22 < 2x2 + 4 < 54 and 22, it said 0,0,4. Just a fun fact
for you readers 
The range of f(x) is {22 < f(x) < 54}.
Now, on to the fun part! Graphing!!

Graphing

Identifying Whether a Graph Is a Function

For the Math IIC, it is important to be able to determine if a given graph is indeed a function. A
foolproof way to do this is to use the vertical line test: if a vertical line intersects a graph more than
once, then the graph is not a function.
The vertical line test makes sense because the definition of a function requires that any x value have
only one y value. A vertical line has the same x value along the entire line; if it intersects the graph
more than once, then the graph has more than one y value associated with that x value.
The three graphs below are functions. Use the vertical line test to prove this to yourself.

The next three graphs are not functions. In each graph, a strategically placed vertical line will
intersect the graph more than once.
Range and Domain in Graphing
The range and domain of a function are easy enough to see in their graphs. The domain is the set of
all x values for which the function is defined. The range is the set of all y values for which the
function is defined. To find the domain and range of a graph, just look at which x and y values the
graph includes.
Certain kinds of graphs have specific ranges and domains that are visible in their graphs. A line
whose slope is not 0 (a horizontal line) or undefined (a vertical line) has the set of real numbers as its
domain and range. Since a line, by definition, extends infinitely in both directions, it passes through
all possible values of x and y:

An odd-degree polynomial, which is a polynomial whose highest degree of power is an odd number,
also has the set of real numbers as its domain and range:

An even-degree polynomial, which is a polynomial whose highest degree of power is an even number,
has the set of real numbers as its domain but has a restricted range. The range is usually bounded at
one end and unbounded at the other. The following parabola has range {–∞, 2}:
Trigonometric functions have various domains and ranges, depending on the function. Sine, for
example, has the real numbers for its domain and {–1, 1} for its range. A more detailed breakdown of
the domains and ranges for the various trigonometric functions can be found in the Trigonometry
section.

Some functions have limited domains and ranges that cannot be simply categorized but are still
obvious to see. By looking at the graph, you can see that the function below has domain {3, ∞} and
range {–∞, –1}.
Asymptotes and Holes
There are two types of abnormalities that can further limit the domain and range of a function:
asymptotes and holes. Being able to identify these abnormalities will help you to match up the
domain and range of a graph to its function.
An asymptote is a line that a graph approaches but never intersects. In graphs, asymptotes are
represented as dotted lines. You’ll probably only see vertical and horizontal asymptotes on the Math
IIC, though they can exist at other slopes as well. A function is undefined at the x value of a vertical
asymptote, thus restricting the domain of the function graphed. A function’s range does not include
the y value of a horizontal asymptote, since the whole point of an asymptote is that the function
never actually takes on that value.

In this graph, there is a vertical asymptote at x = 1 and a horizontal asymptote at y = 1. Because of

these asymptotes, the domain of the graphed function is the set of real numbers except 1 (x ≠ 1), and
the range of the function graphed is also the set of real numbers except 1 (f(x) ≠ 1).
A hole is an isolated point at which a function is undefined. You’ll recognize it in a graph as an open
circle at the point where the hole occurs. Find it in the following figure:

The hole in the graph above is the point (–4, 3). This means that the domain of the function is the set
of real numbers except 4 (x ≠ –4), and the range is the set of real numbers except 3 (f(x) ≠ 3).
Identifying the Graphs of Polynomial Functions
Roots
The roots (or zeros) of a function are the x values for which the function equals zero, or, graphically,
the values where the graph intersects the x-axis (x = 0). To solve for the roots of a function, set the
function equal to 0 and solve for x. For f(x) = x2 + x – 12, you should recognize that the graph of the
function in the paragraph above is a parabola and that opens upward because of a positive leading
coefficient.

The roots are –4 and 3, since those are the values at which the function equals 0. Given this
additional information, you can choose the answer choice with the upward-opening parabola that
intersects the x-axis at –4 and 3.

Degree
The degree of a polynomial function is the highest exponent to which the dependent variable is
raised. A function’s degree can give you a good idea of its shape. The graph produced by an n-degree
function can have as many as n – 1 ―bumps‖ or ―turns.‖ These ―bumps‖ or ―turns‖ are technically
called ―extreme points.‖

Function Degree and Roots

The degree of a function is based on the largest exponent found in that function. If you know the
degree of a function, you can tell how many roots that function will have. A second-degree function
will have two roots, a third-degree function will have three roots, and a ninth-degree function will
have nine roots. In some cases, all the roots of a function will be distinct. Take the function:

The factors of g(x) are (x + 2) and (x + 1), which means that its roots occur when x equals –2 or –1.
In contrast, look at the function

While h(x) is a second-degree function and has two roots, both roots occur when x equals –2. In
other words, the two roots of h(x) are not distinct.

End Behavior
The end behavior of a function is a description of what happens to the value of f(x) as x approaches
infinity and negative infinity. Think about what happens to a polynomial containing x if you let x
equal a huge number, like 1,000,000,000. The polynomial is going to end up being an enormous
positive or negative number.
The point is that every polynomial function either approaches infinity or negative infinity as x
approaches positive and negative infinity. Whether a function will approach positive or negative
infinity in relation to x is called the function’s end behavior.
There are rules of end behavior that can allow you to use a function’s end behavior to figure out its
algebraic characteristics or to figure out its end behavior based on its definition:
Note: an represents the leading coefficient
 If the degree of the polynomial is even, the function behaves the same way as x approaches
both positive and negative infinity.
 If the degree of the polynomial function is odd, the function exhibits opposite behavior as x
approaches positive and negative infinity.
Function Symmetry
Even Functions
An even function is a function for which f(x) = f(–x). Even functions are symmetrical with respect to
the y-axis.

Odd Functions
An odd function is a function for which f(x) = –f(–x). Odd functions are symmetrical with respect to
the origin.
Symmetry Across the x-Axis
No function can have symmetry across the x-axis, but the Math IIC will occasionally include a graph
that is symmetrical across the x-axis to fool you. A quick check with the vertical line test proves that
the equations that produce such lines are not functions:

Statistics
Mean
You should know basic arithmetic mean, but be prepared for this situation:
The mean age of the 14 members of a ballroom dance class is 34. When a new student enrolled, the mean age
increased to 35. How old is the new student?

Median, Mode, and Range

In short, the median is the middle number, the mode is the most occurring number, and the range
is the difference between the highest and lowest number in a given set.

The Probability Formula

The Range of Probability

0≤P≤1
The Probability that an event won’t occur = 1 – probability that it will occur
Probability of Multiple Events
The Probability of multiple events happening is, presumably, together or at the same time, or
consecutively, is found by multiplying the probabilities of each of the events together.
Permutations and Combinations
The Factorial, represented by ! is the numbers up to and including n

If you are ever asked to find the number of ways that the n elements of a group can be ordered, you
simply need to calculate n!. For example, if you are asked how many different ways 6 people can sit
at a table with six chairs, you could either list all of the possible seating arrangements or just answer
6! = 6 5 4 3 2 1 = 720.

Permutations
Here, order matters!
A permutation is an ordering of elements. For example, say you’re running for student council. There
are four different offices to be filled—president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer—and there
are four candidates running. Assuming the candidates don’t care which office they’re elected to, how
many different ways can the student council be composed?
The answer is 4! because there are 4 students running for office and thus 4 elements in the set.
Say that due to budgetary costs, there are now only the three offices of president, vice president, and
treasurer to be filled, but now six candidates are running. To handle this situation, we will now have
to slightly change our method of calculating the number of permutations.
In general, the permutation, nPr, is the number of subgroups of size r that can be taken from a set
with n elements:

For our example, we need to find 6P3:

Combination
Here, order doesn’t matter! An example of a scenario in which order doesn’t matter is a hand of
cards: a king, ace, and five is the same as an ace, five, and king.
Combinations are represented as nCr, or , where unordered subgroups of size r are selected from a
set of size n. Because the order of the elements in a given subgroup doesn’t matter, this means that
will be less than nPr. Any one combination can be turned into more than one permutation. nCr is
calculated as follows:

Here’s an example:

Suppose that a committee of 10 people must elect three leaders, whose duties are all the same. In how
many ways can this be done?
Groups
All you have to know is:

Try this example:

A room contains 80 people. Thirty have curly hair, 24 have blond hair, and 40 have hair that is neither
curly nor blond. How many people in the room have curly, blond hair?
Use the formula: 80 = 30 + 24 + 40 – x. Thus, x = 14 (14 people in the room have curly and blond
hair).

Sets
Union of Sets
The union of two or more sets is the set that contains all of the elements of the two original sets. The
union of two sets, A and B, is symbolized this way: .
For example, the union of the sets A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5} and B = {4, 5, 6, 7, 8} is

Intersection of Sets
The intersection of two sets is the set of their overlapping elements. The intersection of the two sets A
and B is symbolized as .
The intersection of the sets A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5} and B = {4, 5, 6, 7, 8}, for example, is = {4, 5}. If x
is an element of , then x must be an element of both A and B.

Logic
A logic statement is written in the following form where p and q are events: If p, then q.
Every ―If p, then q‖ statement has an equivalent statement; this second statement is known as the
contrapositive, which is always true. The contrapositive of ―If p, then q‖ is ―If not q, then not p.‖ In
symbols, the contrapositive of is (here, the symbol ~ means ―not‖). To formulate the
contrapositive of any logic statement, you must change the original statement in two ways.

1. Switch the order of the two parts of the statement. For example, ―If p, then q‖ becomes ―If q,
then p.‖
2. Negate each part of the statement. ―If q, then p‖ becomes ―If not q, then not p.‖

See this example:

What is the contrapositive of “Every book on the shelf is old”?
You need to first rewrite this statement so that it is in the ―If p, then q‖ form. So the given statement
becomes ―If a book is on the shelf, then it is old.‖ The contrapositive of the statement is now easy to
see: ―If a book is not old, then it is not on the shelf.‖
Sequences
Arithmetic Sequences
An arithmetic sequence is an ordered list of terms in which the difference between consecutive terms
is constant. In other words, the same value or variable is added to each term in order to create the
next term: if you subtract any two consecutive terms of the sequence, you will get the same
difference.
The notation of an arithmetic sequence is:

where an is the nth term of the sequence and d is the difference between consecutive terms. For the
Math IIC, you must first be able to determine that a given sequence is an arithmetic sequence. To
figure out if a sequence is arithmetic, take two sets of consecutive terms, and subtract the smaller
term from the larger. If the difference between the terms in the two sets is equal, you’ve got yourself
an arithmetic sequence. To figure out if the sequence {an} = 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, . . . is arithmetic, take two
sets of consecutive terms {1, 4} and {10, 13}, and subtract the first from the second:

Since the difference is equal, you know this sequence is arithmetic. You should be able to do three
things with an arithmetic sequence:
1. Find d
2. Find the nth term
3. Calculate the sum of the first n terms

Finding the nth Term

To find the nth term in an arithmetic sequence, use the following formula:

In the example above, to find the 55th term, we would have to find the value of a1 first. Plug the values
of a4 = 4, n = 4, and d = 2 into the formula an = a1 + (n – 1)d to find that a1 equals –2. Now find the
55th term: a55 = –2 + (55 – 1)2 = –2 + (54)2 = –2 + 108 = 106.

Calculating the Sum of the First n Terms

In order to find the sum of the first n terms, simply find the value of the average term and then
multiply that average by the number of terms you are summing.

As you can see, this is simply n times the average of the first n terms. The sum of the first 55
terms of the above sequence would be sum = 55[(–2 + 106) ⁄ 2] = 52(55) = 2,860.
Geometric Sequences
A geometric sequence is a sequence in which the ratio of any term and the next term is constant.
Whereas in an arithmetic sequence the difference between consecutive terms is always constant, in a
geometric sequence the quotient of consecutive terms is always constant. The constant factor by
which the terms of a geometric function differs is called the common ratio of the geometric sequence.
The common ratio is usually represented by the variable r. Here is an example of a geometric
sequence in which r = 3.

The general form of a geometric sequence is:

You should be able to identify a geometric sequence from its terms, and you should be able to
perform three tasks on geometric sequences:

1. Find r
2. Find the nth term
3. Calculate the sum of the first n terms

Finding r
To find the common ratio of a geometric sequence, all you have to do is divide one term by the
preceding term.
For example, the value of r for the sequence 3, 6, 12, 24, . . . is 6 /3 = 2.
Finding the nth Term
To find the nth term of a geometric sequence, use the following formula:

For example, the 11th term of the sequence above is:

Finding the Sum of the First n Terms

To find the sum of the first n terms of a geometric sequence, use the following formula:

So, the sum of the first 10 terms of the same sequence is:

The Sum of an Infinite Geometric Sequence

If the common ratio r of a geometric sequence is greater or equal to 1 (or less than or equal to –1),
then each term is greater than or equal to the previous term, and the sequence does not converge.
For these sequences, we cannot find a sum.
But if –1 < r < 1, then the terms of the sequence will converge toward zero. This convergence toward
zero means that the sum of the entire geometric sequence can be approximated quite closely with the
following formula:
where –1 < r < 1. For example:
1
What is the sum of the sequence 4, 2, 1, / 2, 1/ 4 . . . ?
As a first step, make sure that the sum can be calculated by determining r. For this sequence, r = 1/2,
which is between –1 and 1, so the sum of the sequence is finite. Now, using the formula, the sum is
(1 – 1 /2) = 8.

Limits
For a function f(x), the limit of the function is the value that the function approaches as x approaches
a certain number. Here’s an example:

What is the limit of f(x) = as x approaches –2?

Normally, finding the limit should be easy. You would simply plug the value x approaches, in this
case –2, into the function and produce the limit. But the Math IIC really only asks one type of
question about limits—the test likes to ask you to determine the limit of a function at a point at which
the function is not defined. But try and plug –2 into the function.

It seems the function is not defined at x = –2, because division by zero is not allowed. This is
precisely what the test wants you to think. But the assumption that this function is undefined at –2
is incorrect. And, luckily, there is an easy way to solve for the limit.
First, you need to factor the function so that it is in its most simplified state. In our example, the
denominator can be factored:

Once the denominator has been factored, it’s easy to see that the function x + 2 /(x+2)(x–4) simplifies to
1/
x – 4. This simplified fraction can be evaluated at x = –2:

1/
–6 is the limit of f(x) = –2.
You should choose ―the limit does not exist at this point‖ answer only if a function is undefined at the
point at which you wish to find a limit and the function cannot be factored any further.
Imaginary Numbers
Imaginary numbers are used to represent the even roots of negative numbers. They use the quantity
i, where i = . For example:

Square roots of negative numbers are called imaginary because they do not lie on the real number
line.

Complex Numbers
A complex number is the sum of a real number and an imaginary number. A complex number is
written in the form of a + bi, where a and b are real numbers, and i = .
There are three things you need to be able to do with complex numbers:

1. Know the powers of i

2. Know how to do operations like addition, subtraction, and multiplication on complex
numbers
3. Know how to graph a complex number in the complex plane and how to find its absolute
value

The Powers of i
The powers of i are easy to work with. For example: i2 x i9
The trick is to remember that the powers of i work in cycles of four:

 i1 = i
 i2 = =( )2 = –1
 i3 = = ( )2 = –i
 i4 = =( )4 = 1

This way, the expression i2 i9 becomes (–1)(i) = –i. If you know these cycles, you can reduce any
exponent of i to a much more manageable size. The expression i2 i9 becomes (–1)(i) = –i.

Operations on Complex Numbers

Algebraic manipulation of complex numbers is exactly like dealing with real numbers. See for
yourself:

Simplify the expression (3x + i)(x – 2i).

The Complex Plane
The complex plane is a plane similar to the coordinate plane, except that instead of having an x-axis
and a y-axis, it has axes that allow you to plot complex numbers as well as real numbers.
The horizontal axis of a complex plane is called the real axis, and the vertical axis is called the
imaginary axis. The complex number a + bi is plotted in the complex plane exactly where the point
(a, b) would be plotted in the standard coordinate plane. Take a look at the picture of the complex
plane below, with various complex numbers plotted on it.

The magnitude, or absolute value, of a complex number is the distance from the origin to that
number in the complex plane. You can use the Pythagorean theorem to calculate the magnitude of
the complex number.

The magnitude of a + bi, which can also be written as |a + bi|, is equal to Try the following
example:

What is the magnitude of the complex number 4 – 9i?

The complex number 4 – 9i would be graphed on the plane as the point (4, –9i). Using the
Pythagorean theorem to calculate its magnitude: =

Final Words

I hope those of you who read this found this guide to be of much help. The credit must; however,
go to Sparknotes because I used their information to create a condensed guide that was a quick
read through for more efficient studying. I must give my thanks to Silverturtle who thoroughly
looked over the guide and notified me of errors. I also give my thanks to Harambee, who
converted this document into a more accessible PDF form for The College Confidential
Community. Good Luck on the Mathematics Level II subject test, I hope you all receive 800s!